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Ask The Bunny Expert!
Susan adopted her first house rabbit 5 years ago and soon after got highly involved in rabbit rescue. She has volunteered at a local rabbit rescue group and a local animal shelter working with rabbits. She has since co-founded 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue Inc. Susan can surely answer all of your rabbit questions!
Q: Dear Bunny expert,
My bunny has crooked, long teeth that stick out, what can I do about it?
Thank you, Bunny Lover
A: Dear Bunny Lover,
There are alternatives to helping your bunny who's teeth are not normal. This is a common problem in rabbits called malocclusion. Sometimes it is hereditary and sometimes it is due to injuries. This is when your buns teeth are overgrown, stick out or curl back into the mouth and just don't align properly. Rabbits cannot eat and can get worse health problems due to this if not treated promptly by a rabbit/exotic veterinarian. It can lead to abscesses and even death.
Lots of times you will see long teeth sticking out of the mouth straight out instead of up. Sometimes when you open the mouth you can see them curled back in and cutting into the mouth. I have seen some bad cases of this that if treated promptly and properly would have saved the rabbits from much suffering.
Also rabbit’s molars in the back sometimes grow and cause pain in the back of their mouth. This is called molar spurs. This may cause them to stop eating and get teary eyes. It is very important for your rabbit to get check ups with your rabbit veterinarian to catch anything like this. Sometimes your vet will only need to file the teeth back to normal so bunny can eat. This may have to be done often. Sometimes your vet will suggest pulling the bad teeth. Rabbits can still eat with their other teeth and sometimes just might need your help cutting up veggies in smaller pieces. Whatever your veterinarian finds and suggests to fix the problem, your rabbit can still lead a normal happy life.
Susan
Ask Peter, "The Fish Doctor!"
The Fish Doctor is an aquarium installation and maintenance company. it is designed to help people achieve success in the fish keeping hobby. For more info please visit www.TheFishDoctor.net. Direct all your fishy questions to "The Fish Doctor."
Q: Dear Fish Doctor,
I would like to set up my first aquarium. Is a 10-gallon tank a good size to start out with?
Thank you, Fish Lover
A: Dear Fish Lover,
Many people purchase 10-gallon aquarium starter kits and meet with failure. In my opinion, 30-40 gallons is a much better choice. More water volume allows for a more stable environment.
Peter
Ask The Cat Lady
Sally Bahner has spent the last 10 years specializing in writing on cat-related issues, specifically nutrition, holistic care and multiple cat behavior. She was editor-in-chief of “The Whole Cat Journal” and has contributed to “Catnip”, “Catwatch” and the new “Whole Cat Journal”. She is also a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. "Send your cat questions to Sally!
Q: Dear Sally,
My cat, Tootsie, goes out with me on supervised walks. Another cat, Pierre, lives in a nearby condo and stays mostly outside. Tootsie and I usually stay in one side of the yard and Pierre stays on the other; they keep some distance from each other. A neighbor has told me that after I have Tootsie out, Pierre traces over our paths in the yard. The other day Tootsie edged closer and closer to Pierre, which I allowed because they both seemed calm. When she got very close (he was on his porch), he made that angry sound, which I took to mean "back off." She starts crying and moves closer. She cries and cries and he just ignores her. At that point, I just thought that she was asking him to be friends and that he was being a bit of a cad or a loner needing his space, and that she was not welcome in his territory.
Then they both started hissing and Buster started to growl. I didn’t know if they were flirting or getting ready to fight, but it seemed like they were getting ready to fight. So, I picked up Tootsie and she bit me repeatedly really hard in the arms, scratched my hands and ripped my jacket. As soon as we got inside, the aggression was over. What did I do wrong?
Susan
A: Dear Susan,
This was a classic case of redirected aggression. Tootsie was fixated on Pierre. Whether or not they were going to fight is almost a non-issue since cats seem to do more vocalizing and posturing than actually fighting.
By interfering when Tootsie was in "confrontation-almost-attack" mode (which can be almost trance-like), you caused her to strike out at whatever was closest -- You. Don't feel bad (except for the pain...). It's a common mistake cat owners make when trying to break up confrontations -- It happened to me years and years ago when I attempted to snatch up one of my cats when he was in confrontation mode.
Two things:
Keep in mind that you can't schedule play dates with cats as with dogs. They usually maintain their own territories outside. Since Pierre is mostly outside, Tootsie was probably testing the limits, which is why he traces the paths afterwards. Cats usually come to an understanding about the boundaries, but seldom become buds.
Also, if it happens again (and I would recommend avoiding another confrontation) distract Tootsie with a fishing pole toy or clap your hands loudly, then "herd" her back to her own zone. That should break their concentration and get Tootsie back to her own area. It would be helpful if she is on a harness when she's outside.
Sally
Ask the Vet!
Lauren Mascola is the veterinarian at Petcare Veterinary Services in West Hartford. She studied at UConn for undergraduate and Tufts for Veterinary Medicine. She has over 10 years experience and 2 dogs and 3 cats of her own. She is excited to answer your questions!
Q: Dear Dr. Mascola,
I am giving my dog a good-quality dried food recommended by our vet, but it looks so boring! I always add some beef or chicken, can this do any harm?
Thank you, Carl.
A: Dear Carl,
Thanks for the question. The simple, quick answer is no, it will not harm your pet. But, if your pet does not like the food, I would rather he change his diet instead of being supplemented and potentially adding additional unneeded calories.
My guidelines for recommending a diet are simple. I like foods, either canned or dry, in which the very first ingredient listed is the protein source. This might be poultry or lamb, for example. Also, it should not say "meal" or "by-product" after the protein source because that will not be a quality ingredient. If you see "meal" or "by-product" further down the ingredient list, that is not as important. If you change the diet, do it gradually over 2-3 weeks. An abrupt diet change may cause diarrhea.
Good Luck!
Ask Dr. Post
Veterinary Oncology & Hematology Center is a cancer care treatment center for canines and felines in Norwalk. Dr. Gerald Post DVM, ACVIM has been specializing in cancer and cancer treatments for six years and has been practicing as a veterinarian since 1988. Write to Dr. Post with all your cancer related questions.
Q: Dear Dr. Post,
Does my pet need to be sedated for chemotherapy administration?
Concerned Pet Owner
A: Dear Concerned Pet Owner,
No. Patients do not need to be sedated for their treatment. The treatments are relatively painless and do not take very long. Some treatments are in an oral form and may be a better option for your pet. You and your oncologist will discuss the best treatment for your pet.
Dr. Gerald Post DVM, ACVIM
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